Distinguishing Different Styles of Transpressional Deformation at an Obliquely Convergent Plate Margin, Fiordland, New Zealand
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University of Vermont UVM ScholarWorks Graduate College Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 2021 Distinguishing different styles of transpressional deformation at an obliquely convergent plate margin, Fiordland, New Zealand Emily Sarah Lincoln University of Vermont Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis Part of the Geology Commons Recommended Citation Lincoln, Emily Sarah, "Distinguishing different styles of transpressional deformation at an obliquely convergent plate margin, Fiordland, New Zealand" (2021). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 1423. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/1423 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations and Theses at UVM ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate College Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of UVM ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DISTINGUISHING DIFFERENT STYLES OF TRANSPRESSIONAL DEFORMATION AT AN OBLIQUELY CONVERGENT PLATE MARGIN, FIORDLAND, NEW ZEALAND A Thesis Presented by Emily Sarah Lincoln to The Faculty of the Graduate College of The University of Vermont In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science Specializing in Geology August, 2021 Defense Date: May 25, 2021 Thesis Examination Committee: Keith A. Klepeis, Ph.D., Advisor Kristen Underwood, Ph.D., Chairperson Laura Webb, Ph.D. Cynthia J. Forehand, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate College ABSTRACT Fiordland, New Zealand provides one of the best-known and deepest (to 65 km) exposures of an Early Cretaceous magmatic arc root known to geologists. These exposures allow for us to study tectonic deformational processes at varying crustal depths, including the role of pre-existing structures on later reactivation. The well- preserved Grebe shear zone (GSZ) marks the boundary between major basement terranes in southern Fiordland and has undergone multiple episodes of deformation during the Cretaceous and Cenozoic time periods. The primary focus of this study is to recognize and characterize the differing phases of deformation that occurred along this shear zone. To investigate these phases, we have conducted structural, finite strain, fault-slip, and kinematic analysis, on structural measurements and samples taken from Fiordland. We use these methods in concert to identify and differentiate the deformational styles. In southern Fiordland, the GSZ is characterized by a narrow zone of protomylonitic-mylonitic fabric within amphibolite retrogressed to greenschist facies rock. Finite strain analysis on feldspar aggregates from samples in and around the GSZ produced primarily oblate ellipsoids, indicative of shortening across the shear zone. Asymmetrical shear sense indicators present in thin sections oriented parallel, perpendicular, and oblique to lineations also suggest a component of sinistral obliquity in shear zone fabrics. This coupled with a deflection of foliations in surrounding rock towards parallelism with the shear zone boundary is consistent with transpressional deformation. This deformation is localized to a zone of ductile deformation where components of sinistral strike-slip and shortening are accommodated in close proximity to the shear zone (non-partitioned). This deformational event is associated with the formation of the shear zone and is overprinted by a separate transpressional event that took place during the Cenozoic. Fault-slip analysis showed that this reactivation event is accommodated in primarily brittle faults in where one set accommodates mostly or purely strike-slip motion, and another that accommodates mostly or purely reverse motion (partitioned). This contrasting style of transpression implies that the Cretaceous ductile shear zone influenced the behavior of strain during Cenozoic reactivation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have many people to thank for the completion of this thesis, the first being my advisor Keith Klepeis, for being a tremendous source of knowledge and support. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, but he also genuinely cares about the success of his students. I could not have asked for a better mentor during my time in the program. I would also like to thank Laura Webb and for her support and help with the microstructure portion of my analysis, and Kristen Underwood for generously agreeing to be my chairperson in short notice. Within the UVM Geology Department, I would also like to thank John Hughes for his words of encouragement, which helped me immensely through both the program and the COVID- 19 pandemic. This project would not be possible without our collaborators, and I greatly thank Elena Miranda and Joshua Schwartz from CSUN, and Rose Turnbull and Richard Jongens from the New Zealand GNS for sharing their seemingly infinite knowledge both in the field and after. Lastly, I would like to thank my spouse, Stephen, for pushing me to pursue this in the first place, and for his help along the way. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. ii LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................... 6 2.1 Shear Zone Anatomy ............................................................................................. 6 2.1.1. Transpressional/Transtensional Systems ...................................................... 6 2.2. Geologic Background of Fiordland .................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 3: METHODS ............................................................................................. 17 3.1 Field Work & Data Collection ............................................................................. 17 3.2 Structural & Microstructural Analysis ................................................................. 18 3.2.1 Fabric and Reactivation Characterization .................................................... 18 3.2.2 Structural Analysis ....................................................................................... 18 3.2.3 Microstructural Analysis .............................................................................. 19 3.2.4 Shear Sense Determination .......................................................................... 20 3.3 Finite Strain Analysis .......................................................................................... 21 3.3.1 Sample Selection .......................................................................................... 21 3.3.2 2D Strain Ellipses: The Rf/ϕ Method ........................................................... 22 3.3.3 3D Strain Ellipsoids: Robin & Shan Methods ............................................. 23 3.3.4 Error Analysis .............................................................................................. 24 iii 3.4 Fault-Slip Analysis .............................................................................................. 27 3.4.1 Fault Classifications ..................................................................................... 27 3.4.2 Fault Plane Solutions ................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS ............................................................................................... 30 4.1 Anatomy of the Grebe Shear Zone ...................................................................... 30 4.1.1 Definition of Fabrics .................................................................................... 33 4.1.2 The GSZ at Lake Hauroko, North Shore ..................................................... 37 4.1.4 The GSZ at Lake Hauroko, South Shore ..................................................... 38 4.1.5 The GSZ at Caroline Peak ........................................................................... 40 4.1.6 Surrounding Fabric ...................................................................................... 42 4.2 Kinematics and Finite Strain Results from the Grebe Shear Zone ...................... 44 4.2.1 Strain Intensity and Fabric Ellipsoid Results ............................................... 44 4.2.2 Rotation of Structures in Response to Shear Zone Formation ..................... 49 4.2.2 Shear Sense of Ductile Fabrics .................................................................... 52 4.3 Anatomy and Kinematics of Cenozoic Faulting .................................................. 58 4.3.1 Reactivation of the Grebe Shear Zone ......................................................... 64 4.3.2 Hauroko Fault Zone ..................................................................................... 65 4.3.3 Monowai Fault Zone .................................................................................... 65 4.3.4 Eel Creek Fault Zone ................................................................................... 66 4.3.5 Borland Road Fault Zone ............................................................................. 66 4.3.2 Mount Watson Fault Zone .........................................................................